[Question #9509] Blood transmission confused me

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32 months ago
Dear Doctors 

First Apologies for my week English.i’m from Italy

I will be direct to the point. I understand that hiv doesn’t transmit by touching blood on any object or surface.

So for now my concern about .. 

Q) if there was a little hiv infected dry blood on any surface then I touched it with my hand and i practiced my life normally like i eat with my hand touch my face and my mouth without washing my hand is that okay ?

Q) how long can hiv survive on dry blood specially , Can it survive for more than 14 days and be active to infect people?

Q) if the blood was dry and the amount was little like few drops on surface is it less risk ?


Thanks in advance 

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
32 months ago
Welcome to the forum. Thank you for your confidence in our services, and for reading other threads with issues similar to your own. (Your English seems fine.)

HIV in blood as soon as the blood dries, which is one of the main reasons that contact with blood in the environment is not known to transmit HIV. Your own statement is correct, "hiv doesn’t transmit by touching blood on any object or surface." To your numbered questions:

1) This kind of contact is entirely risk free.
2) HIV survives no longer than the time it take blood to dry. In fact, it's probably faster than that:  just exposure to air starts to kill the virus.
3) If dry, the amount of blood makes no difference. If it hasn't dried, larger amounts might in theory have greater risk.

There has never been a reported case of HIV that was believed to have been acquired by contact with blood in the environment. This really isn't something to be at all worried about.

I hope this reply is helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD
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32 months ago
Thank you Doctor for your time 

So that’s mean ..
When the blood is dry that mean the hiv virus is dead no need to worry about it totally ?


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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
32 months ago
"When the blood is dry that mean the hiv virus is dead no need to worry about it totally ?"  Yes; you correctly understand.---
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32 months ago
My last question Doctor is about washing the blood. Like to disinfect the mark and kill the hiv virus 

What i know that for covid19 we need to use alcohol sanitizer to disinfect and kill the virus.

Q1) For the hiv when there is an infected blood is it enough to use household disinfectant to clean the blood and make the hiv virus non-infectious ? Or alcoholic is needed like covid to kill hiv virus on the blood?

Q2) is clean the infected blood with only water is enough also ? To make the hiv virus non-infectious by applying water on the blood ?

Thanks for all
Appreciate all 
Best regards doctor 



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32 months ago
 
And doctor even touching an infected hiv dry-blood with small cuts on the fingers is still no risk for transmit hiv ?



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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
32 months ago
You started your question with a statement of wise understanding:  "I will be direct to the point. I understand that hiv doesn’t transmit by touching blood on any object or surface."

Then you asked some specific questions about it, and I responded again that there was no risk. Why is it hard to understand that if HIV is dead, there can be no risk??? 

Now you are asking another version of the same question. Why is it hard to understand that if HIV is dead, there can be no risk??? Do I really need to repeat the answer a third time??? Sorry, but I'm going to let you draw your own conclusion.

I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes, stay safe, and Happy Holiday.
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